"We must be ready to dare all for our country. For history does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. We must acquire proficiency in defense and display stamina in purpose." - President Eisenhower, First Inaugural Address

Army Navy

Monday, April 17, 2006

US Navy vessels have been granted permission to patrol Somali waters to fight piracy in what are seen as the world's most dangerous waters.Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi told ministers he agreed the deal on Sunday with the US ambassador to Kenya.

Under the agreement, Mr Ghedi said the US Navy would also develop Somalia's rudimentary coastguard service.

The US Navy has recently seized pirates in international waters but has been unable to pursue them close to shore.

Hijackings and piracy off have surged in the past year as armed groups take advantage of a lack of law and order in Somalia, which has been without an effective central government since 1991.

Mr Ghedi is part of a transitional administration which only controls parts of the country. ****In November last year, Somalia's transitional government signed a two-year contract with US company Topcat Marine Security to help fight piracy.

The BBC's Hassan Barise in Somalia says that despite the $50m contract there has been no evidence of patrols or interceptions made by the American firm.

The piracy deal would be the first official US military involvement in Somalia since US troops were killed in Mogadishu in 1993.

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EagleSpeak

About EagleSpeak

The main focus of this blog is maritime security. Other matters may appear. I am a retired attorney and a retired Navy Reserve Captain (Surface Warfare). Opinions expressed herein are my own. Sometimes I have the experience to back them up. Your opinions may vary. Don't panic. Feel free to disagree, that's what free speech is all about.
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Under the header: BM2 Nicholas Ferris signals an AH-64 Apache helicopter from the U.S. Army 4-501st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion during deck landing qualifications aboard USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43). (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Adam Austin/Released)